Revelers get an early start on Rio's Carnival
By Chris Preovolos, Associated Press
Updated 2:26 pm, Saturday, February 25, 2017
Carnival officially kicks off tonight in Rio de Janeiro, but the festivities have already started.
Thursday night at the "LED is my Light" parade, revelers took to the streets to celebration the annual event, though Carnival traditionally begins the Friday before Ash Wednesday.
The largest parades at the Sambódromo take place Sunday and Monday but pre-Carnival festivities have been taking place for a least a week in Brazil. The dogs are even getting in on the fun.
Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Revelers celebrate at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today and revelers took over an underpass in the city to dance. Up to 70 cities and towns in Brazil are believed to have canceled festivities for Carnival this year amidst a severe recession in the country.
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Revelers celebrate at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today and revelers
... more
Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Revelers play music at a pre-Carnival 'bloco', or street party, on February 23, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins tomorrow. Up to 70 cities and towns in Brazil are believed to have canceled festivities for Carnival this year amidst a severe recession in the country.
less
Revelers play music at a pre-Carnival 'bloco', or street party, on February 23, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins tomorrow. Up to 70 cities and towns in Brazil are believed to have
... more
Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Revelers gather at a pre-Carnival 'bloco', or street party, on February 23, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins tomorrow. Up to 70 cities and towns in Brazil are believed to have canceled festivities for Carnival this year amidst a severe recession in the country.
less
Revelers gather at a pre-Carnival 'bloco', or street party, on February 23, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins tomorrow. Up to 70 cities and towns in Brazil are believed to have canceled
... more
Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Revelers pose at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today. Up to 70 cities and towns in Brazil are believed to have canceled festivities for Carnival this year amidst a severe recession in the country.
less
Revelers pose at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today. Up to 70 cities and
... more
Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Revelers celebrate at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today and revelers took over an underpass in the city to dance. Up to 70 cities and towns in Brazil are believed to have canceled festivities for Carnival this year amidst a severe recession in the country.
less
Revelers celebrate at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today and revelers
... more
Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Revelers celebrate at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today and revelers took over an underpass in the city to dance. Up to 70 cities and towns in Brazil are believed to have canceled festivities for Carnival this year amidst a severe recession in the country.
less
Revelers celebrate at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today and revelers
... more
Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Revelers clown around and pose at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today. Up to 70 cities and towns in Brazil are believed to have canceled festivities for Carnival this year amidst a severe recession in the country.
less
Revelers clown around and pose at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today. Up
... more
Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Revelers kiss at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today. Up to 70 cities and towns in Brazil are believed to have canceled festivities for Carnival this year amidst a severe recession in the country.
less
Revelers kiss at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today. Up to 70 cities and
... more
Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Revelers laugh while posing at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today. Up to 70 cities and towns in Brazil are believed to have canceled festivities for Carnival this year amidst a severe recession in the country.
less
Revelers laugh while posing at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today. Up to
... more
Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Revelers walk past men who were sleeping on the street at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today. Up to 70 cities and towns in Brazil are believed to have canceled festivities for Carnival this year amidst a severe recession in the country.
less
Revelers walk past men who were sleeping on the street at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival
... more
Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Revelers prepare to attend the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today. Up to 70 cities and towns in Brazil are believed to have canceled festivities for Carnival this year amidst a severe recession in the country.
less
Revelers prepare to attend the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today. Up to 70
... more
Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
A reveler hangs on a lightpole at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today. Up to 70 cities and towns in Brazil are believed to have canceled festivities for Carnival this year amidst a severe recession in the country.
less
A reveler hangs on a lightpole at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today. Up
... more
Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Revelers kiss at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today. Up to 70 cities and towns in Brazil are believed to have canceled festivities for Carnival this year amidst a severe recession in the country.
less
Revelers kiss at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today. Up to 70 cities and
... more
Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Revelers celebrate at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today and revelers took over an underpass in the city to dance. Up to 70 cities and towns in Brazil are believed to have canceled festivities for Carnival this year amidst a severe recession in the country.
less
Revelers celebrate at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today and revelers
... more
Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Revelers embrace at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today. Up to 70 cities and towns in Brazil are believed to have canceled festivities for Carnival this year amidst a severe recession in the country.
less
Revelers embrace at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today. Up to 70 cities
... more
Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Revelers dance at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today. Up to 70 cities and towns in Brazil are believed to have canceled festivities for Carnival this year amidst a severe recession in the country.
less
Revelers dance at the 'LED is My Light' street party in the early morning hours at the beginning of Carnival on February 24, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins today. Up to 70 cities and
... more
Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Revelers dance at a pre-Carnival 'bloco', or street party, on February 23, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins tomorrow. Up to 70 cities and towns in Brazil are believed to have canceled festivities for Carnival this year amidst a severe recession in the country.
less
Revelers dance at a pre-Carnival 'bloco', or street party, on February 23, 2017 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carnival officially begins tomorrow. Up to 70 cities and towns in Brazil are believed to have canceled
... more
Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Revelers get an early start on Rio's Carnival
This year not everyone may join in the fun. It's unclear if Rio's new mayor Marcelo Crivella, a retired Pentecostal bishop, will attended.
"Not showing up for Carnival doesn't seem like a smart thing to do," said Bernardo Mello Franco, columnist for the newspaper Folha de S. Paulo as reported by the Associated Press. "It's not like he would have to hug a half-naked woman. His function is simply one of protocol."
Brazil's deepening economic crisis is not helping matters either. Dozens of cites and towns around the country have reportedly canceled their official Carnival events over financial and security concerns.